HRG Aerodynamic

1947 H.R.G. Aerodynamic by Fox & Nicholl

Offered by RM Sotheby’s | Alcacer do Sal, Portugal | September 20-21, 2019

Photo Courtesy of RM Sotheby’s

HRG Engineering was founded in 1936 by Edward Halford, Guy Robins, and Henry Ronald Godfrey, whose initials comprise the company’s name. Godfrey’s experience included stints at GN and Frazer Nash.

HRG‘s output was low – only 241 cars produced between 1935 and 1956. Six models were offered, including the 1945-1949 Aerodynamic as seen here. It’s powered by a 1.5-liter inline-four from Singer and wears bodywork from Fox & Nicholls.

The car was discovered by the current owner in 1989 and restored. Prior to that, it had Portuguese race history in the 1940s and 50s. Only 45 examples of the Aerodynamic were produced, and with an active HRG owners group, they don’t change hands that often. Click here for more info and here for more from this collection.

Update: Sold $181,745.

HRG-Maserati

1949 H.R.G.-Maserati Sports

Offered by Bonhams | Goodwood, U.K. | September 12, 2015

Photo - Bonhams

Photo – Bonhams

H.R.G. built light cars and racing specials between 1936 and 1956 in Tolworth, England. There were six factory models offered over the years, built in various amounts. This was not one of them. It is a one-off special commissioned by then-BBC presenter John Gilbert.

They took the chassis from their 1500 model and stretched it a little bit (this car looks very long and narrow). Gilbert also had a spare eight-cylinder Maserati engine lying around that came from one of their 1930s Brooklands racers that he wanted installed. The body was built to look like a Maserati racer, too.

Eventually, the Maserati engine was replaced – multiple times over the years so it could make more and more power. Right now it houses a 2.4-liter Jaguar straight-six. A six-cylinder Maserati cylinder block is included with this sale. The car was raced at Goodwood back in the day and is fresh off restoration in 2014. It should sell for between $94,000-$110,000. Click here for more info and here for more from this sale.

Update: Sold $132,027.

HRG Le Mans Lightweight

1947 HRG Le Mans Lightweight Sports

Offered by Bonhams | Chichester, England | March 21, 2015

Photo - Bonhams

Photo – Bonhams

HRG was founded by three men, none of whom you probably know personally, nor have ever even heard of. Actually, one of them – Ron Godfrey – worked at both Frazer Nash and GN, the cyclecar company prior to co-founding HRG. The first HRG was available in 1936.

They were a sports car company that enjoyed showcasing their products on the track, through their factory racing team, L’Écurie du Lapin Blanc. All HRGs were either 1100 or 1500 models, denoting engine size. This car uses a 1.5-liter straight-four making 60 horsepower and was originally built as an HRG Aerodynamic – one of only 35 built.

It had some early racing success and HRG decided it would be a good car to use to try out a new body. HRG converted three cars to a new style and they competed in the 1949 24 Hours of Le Mans. This car DNF’d after 83 laps, finishing 36th with drivers Jack Scott-Douglas and Neville Gee.

After the race, all three cars were sold to the same guy. In 1953, the body was changed to what you see here. The wheelbase was also shortened, if you can believe it, as it already looks quite lengthy. The current owners have had the car for eight years and had it restored. It’s a lovely old race car welcome at many historic events – a place where HRGs excel. In fact, HRG only built 241 total cars and 225 are still around – many of them can still be seen on the track. This one should bring between $250,000-$340,000. Click here for more info and here for more from this sale.

Update: Sold $243,444.

March 2013 Auction Round-Up

The first auction that happened in March was Bonham’s Oxford sale. Top sale went to this 1968 Ferrari 250 GT SWB Re-Creation that was converted from an original 1968 Ferrari 365GT. It sold for $382,700. A real 250 GT would’ve brought much more.

Other interesting cars included this 1975 Lotus Elan +2S 103/5 Coupe, which for $15,600, seems like a bargain for a Lotus Elan.

Our feature cars both sold. First, the 1922 Benjamin cyclecar brought $29,500. And the Charron Charronette sold for $12,150. Other cool cars included this 1927 McLaughlin-Buick Model 28.496 Master Six Tourer. It sold for $90,200.

This 1989 Royale Sabre Roadster was a throwback car built in the U.K. in the early 1990s based around a late 1980s Ford. It’s definitely interesting for $5,200.

And finally, this 1918 De Dion-Bouton Model HD 15CV 2.9-Litre Charabanc may not have been too expensive. It also wasn’t the cheapest car at the sale. But for the sheer number of doors on this thing, it qualifies as interesting. It could’ve been yours for $13,800. Click here for full results.

Next up was Gooding’s sale at the Amelia Island Concours d’Elegance. The top sale there was this 1928 Bentley 4.25-Litre Semi-Le Mans Tourer for $2,750,000.

Among our four feature cars, only the Aston Martin Short Chassis Volante failed to sell. Of the two Duesenbergs, the Model JN brought $594,000 and the Model J brought $462,000. One interesting car was this 1938 H.R.G. Airline Coupe with coachwork by A. Crofts. It sold for $253,000.

The rest of our highlights are all million-dollar cars, most of them Ferraris. At the low end, a 1969 365 GTC brought $1,072,500.

Then there was the 1966 275 GTS for $1,127,500 followed by a 1995 F50 for $1,375,000 (second below).

Two similar million dollar Ferraris – see if you can tell the difference (for $750,000). First, a 1967 Ferrari 275 GTB/4 for $1,650,000 (first below). Then, a 1966 Ferrari 275 GTB Long Nose Alloy for $2,365,000. They look identical but aren’t (obviously).

Our featured Fiat 8V Supersonic brought $1,760,000. The final million dollar car was this 1929 Rolls-Royce Phantom I Derby Speedster with coachwork by Brewster. It brought $1,980,000. Full results can be found here.

Then we move on to RM Auctions’ sale also held at Amelia Island. The top sale was out featured Duesenberg SJ by Walker-LaGrande for $4,510,000. Our featured Pegaso was the only one of our feature cars that failed to sell. As is normally the case, the million-dollar club featured a few Ferraris including a 1965 275 GTB (below) for $1,375,000 and a 1952 225 Sport Tuboscocca by Vignale for $1,237,500.

The only other million dollar cars were our featured Lozier, which more than doubled the lower end of its estimate and sold for $1,100,000. The other was this 1933 Stutz DV32 Convertible Victoria by Rollston which sold for $1,512,500.

Interesting sales were highlighted by this gorgeous 1947 Delahaye 135 MS Coupe by Langenthal that I so desperately wanted to feature but ran out of time. It sold for $330,000.

A couple of our older feature cars were the Derham Tourster Duesenberg for $825,000. And the beautiful Hispano-Suiza Transformable Torpedo brought $495,000. This 1929 Isotta-Fraschini Tipo 8A Convertible Sedan by Floyd-Derham sold for $473,000.

The three oldest cars we featured all sold. First, the Tribelhorn Electric brought $77,000. The unrestored Locomobile sold for $176,000. And the big, brilliant Austin Touring car sold for $379,500 – shy of its estimate. There were a trio of rare Cord L-29s at this sale and these two were very interesting. First, this 1930 L-29 Sport Cabriolet by Voll & Ruhrbeck sold for $990,000.

Then there was this 1929 L-29 Town Car by d’Ieteren Freres that sold for $154,000. Our featured Marmon Two-Door Prototype sold for $407,000. Check out full results here.

Now on to Osenat’s auction, where the top sale was a 1936 Cord 810 Sportsman convertible, of which there was no reasonably good picture I could snag. It sold for $129,000. Both of our feature cars sold. The Darracq-Italiana brought $32,985 while the the Voisin Flatbed Prototype sold for $23,220. The other most interesting car was another Voisin prototype, a 1956 Biscooter C31 Prototype with bodywork I haven’t seen before. It brought $25,800. Check out full results here.

And finally, Auctions America’s Ft. Lauderdale sale. Our featured Ron Fellows Edition Corvette sold for $52,800. Our featured Baldwin Motion Phase III Corvette brought $136,400. The 1977 Panther DeVille did not sell. Top sale went to a 1955 Mercedes-Benz 300SL that sold for $880,000, which sounds like a new high sale for Auctions America.

Our other feature car, the Lexus LFA, sold for $319,000. Other cool cars included this 1960 Chevrolet Nomad for $26,400.

And finally, this 1963 Ford Galaxie 500 Factory Lightweight sold for $106,700. Check out full results here.

HRG 1500

1951 HRG 1500 Sports

Offered by Bonhams | Goodwood, England | June 29, 2012

HRG was founded in 1936 by Major Edward Halford, Guy Robins, and Henry Ronald Godfrey (the H, the R, and the G coming from the first letters of their last names). They introduced the 1500 model in 1939. The 1.5-liter four makes 58 horsepower and is good for 85 mph “under favourable conditions,” which, I think, is an understated, British way of saying “when going downhill.”

The 1500 model was produced unchanged until the company closed its doors in 1956 – hence the very pre-war design you see here on a car from the early-1950s. The 1500 was far and away the most popular HRG, with 111 built. Only 241 HRGs were built in total, so they are quite rare – especially one this nice.

British Racing Green is an excellent color for this car and will not hurt when it comes to the final price, which is expected to be between $70,000-$85,000. For more information, click here. And for more from Bonhams in Goodwood, click here.

Update: Sold $57,710.

H&H – Imperial War Museum Highlights

H&H held their classic car auction at the Imperial War Museum in Duxford, England on April 19th. Our highlighted 1926 Arab Super Sports sold for about $144,000. Top sale of the auction went to this odd yet strangely attractive in yellow 1970 Aston Martin DB6 Vantage.

It sold for $338,000. I’m not sure I’ve ever seen one in that color, but I kind of like it. Other highlights include the how-did-I-fail-to-feature-this 1947 HRG 1100 which brought $52,000.

Next is the very attractive 1936 MG SA Saloon in silver and blue. It’s a big car and proof that not all MGs be needlessly minuscule and terrifying. It sold for $55,900.

And finally, one super-cool car from Peugeot, the rally-bred 1984 205 T16 that could do 130 mph and hit 60 mph in six seconds. It is one of 200 and it sold for an impressive $180,000. For complete results, check out H&H’s website.